Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

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misszora
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Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:17 pm

Crap! Just got done doing the break in - YAY! for that though!!! - and the transmission began dripping fluid. It is NOT engine oil. We checked the back up light switch thinking that could be it but it is clean and dry there. I appears to be leaking from the first seam on the nose cone coming from the top. It's not the end of the world, right? Just keep checking and adding fluid as needed? yikes!
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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Amskeptic
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:19 am

misszora wrote:Crap! Just got done doing the break in - YAY! for that though!!! - and the transmission began dripping fluid. It is NOT engine oil. We checked the back up light switch thinking that could be it but it is clean and dry there. I appears to be leaking from the first seam on the nose cone coming from the top. It's not the end of the world, right? Just keep checking and adding fluid as needed? yikes!
Was the transaxle at any time, out and laying about? Sometimes a hefted and heaved transaxle will spill fluid into its breather and it drools out for a brief period.

Did the transaxle take a bad lean while installing the engine, could be a shift rod seal annoyed with too much pressure ...

And congratulations! That is incredible, your perseverence, Poster Child For The Forum.
Colin
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misszora
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:26 am

The transaxle was nicely tucked up inside MZ during the entire engine rebuild and she was jacked up pretty high. Our theory is that the leak has been there, just hasn't been forced to show itself until we started the engine today.
I'm going to check the transmission fluid level tomorrow after I adjust the valves.
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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hambone
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by hambone » Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:10 pm

Mine has a very slight drip from the axle seal. Replaced it with Colin's help, and now it has a very slight drip from the axle seal. Bah. Very minor though.
The input shaft seal can leak too, then the fluid comes from in the bellhousing.
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:49 pm

hambone wrote:Mine has a very slight drip from the axle seal. Replaced it with Colin's help, and now it has a very slight drip from the axle seal. Bah. Very minor though.
The input shaft seal can leak too, then the fluid comes from in the bellhousing.
I used sand rail side seals last time through Yuma with the TBRRD. They are twice as thick as the originals. Did our job have any questionable moments? I can't even remember when it was ....

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BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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misszora
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:31 pm

The leak slowed to just the occasional drip. Everything sounds and feels good. Since I did not get the plug out on my own, I may seek some help just to get the fluid level checked. It'll make me feel better anyway.
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:59 pm

misszora wrote:The leak slowed to just the occasional drip. Everything sounds and feels good. Since I did not get the plug out on my own, I may seek some help just to get the fluid level checked. It'll make me feel better anyway.
Either it is the first scenario in my post above which you said was not the case, or it has lost so much fluid that it can't even leak out any more ... or it is doing the self-healing of a happy VW.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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misszora
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:03 pm

is the shift rod seal near the nose cone? And can this be fixed without dropping the engine?
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by vdubyah73 » Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:35 am

is/was the tranny covered with a tarry accumulation of goo in the area of the nosecone? did any one have their hands up there or wipe/scrape goo off?
thinking the tiny vent hole got plugged and the extra hot running new engine running at 2-3k rpm heated tranny up. hot tranny standing still, gear oil heats up, expands, pushes air and oil out shift shaft seal. find vent hole, make sure it's clear. clean up the area and observe. see what develops.
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misszora
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:27 am

that sounds about right! we were wiping it off and looking/sniffing to make sure it wasn't oil.
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:35 pm

Miss Zora's transmission was at quite a tilt with the back end jacked up quite high. And the breather hole is near the nose of the transmission case on Bertha's.


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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:39 pm

Miss Zora's transmission was at quite a tilt with the back end jacked up quite high. And the breather hole is near the nose of the transmission case on Bertha's.

What is it with that batch of crusty crud on a type 1 transmission at the front end? Is it a coating or factory application of some kind I shouldn't scrape off and clean up?


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misszora
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Re: Transmission Leaking During Engine Break-in

Post by misszora » Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:28 pm

Yep! The transmission was initially over-filled...by me probably when I dropped the engine the first time. It is now full, not over full. No leak. yay!!!!
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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